Qantas Flight QF96 Los Angeles – Melbourne

Qantas’ QF96 flight is a daily service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. The non-stop flight clocks in at 15 hours and 40 minutes, making it one of the fastest ways to fly from the continental United States to Australia. Until 13 July 2024 inclusive, Qantas’ daily flight to Melbourne from LA is serviced by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, giving passengers a choice of three cabin classes: Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about flying with Qantas from the City of Angels to Australia’s vibrant coffee capital, plus how you can book this flight using Qantas Points.

QF96 flight time

At the time of writing, QF96 has a scheduled daily departure time of 9:20 pm from Los Angeles, with a total flight time of 15 hours and 40 minutes. As this flight crosses the International Date Line, it arrives at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport at 8 am two days later. This means if you depart from Los Angeles on a Thursday night, you’ll arrive in Melbourne on a Saturday morning. It’s worth factoring in this time difference when planning your trip!

QF96 aircraft type and seating

Qantas flight QF96 is operated by a Boeing 787, offering Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class cabins. There’s no First Class on this particular flight. But do note that you can fly in First Class luxury between Los Angeles and Melbourne on Qantas flight QF94 departing on Thursdays and Saturdays only, as that flight uses an Airbus A380. You’ll also be able to fly First Class on this route daily from 14 July 2024 when the aircraft used on the daily run between LA and Melbourne becomes an A380.

Here’s what to look forward to in each cabin class onboard QF96.

Business Class on QF96

A Business Class ticket on QF96 will have you poised at the pointy end. And when you’re flying in the top-tier cabin, you can bet that it’ll be a comfy hop down under.

For starters, the Business Class cabin features 42 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. This means each passenger has direct aisle access – a favourable convenience on a long-haul flight!

The seat itself converts into a fully lie-flat bed, so you can catch some serious shut-eye before your morning arrival in Melbourne. As for size, Business Class passengers can enjoy a seat width of 23 inches and a 73-inch pitch.

No seats are necessarily better than others, especially in Business Class. But take note that rows 1, 8 and 10 are closest to the galleys, so you may be prone to noise during the flight. And for those hoping to capture a snap of the view below, the window seats (A and K) in rows 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 are your best bet, as you’ll be closest to the window.

Also read: Qantas Boeing 787 Business (Dallas/Fort Worth – Sydney)

Premium Economy on QF96

Premium Economy sits comfortably between Economy and Business Class in terms of offerings. While you won’t enjoy a flatbed, you’ll still have a generous 22.8-inch wide seat and a 38-inch seat pitch on top of a nine-inch recline.

The 28 Premium Economy seats are arranged in a 2-3-2 layout. So, while you’ll never be more than one seat away from the aisle, there is such a thing as a middle seat! The Premium Economy cabin spans rows 20, 21, 22 and 23. Row 20 is fitted with bassinet seats, and row 23 is adjacent to the Economy Class cabin.

There are little touches that elevate the Premium Economy experience beyond regular Economy, like a pre-departure drink, a footrest and foot net at each seat, and tastier meal selections.

Also read: Qantas Boeing 787 Premium Economy (Rome – Perth)

Economy Class on QF96

Qantas’ Economy Class cabin on QF96 is fitted with 166 seats arranged in a 3-3-3 layout. The seats are 17.2 inches wide and offer a 32-inch seat pitch.

Forgotten to charge your devices before your flight? Each Economy Class seat is fitted with an individual USB-A port, and you’ll find shared universal AC power sockets between seats.

Economy Class is spread out over cabins – rows 40 to 44 make up the smaller cabin, while you’ll find more passengers behind it in rows 46 to 59. In saying that, rows 40 and 46 offer more legroom, but the tray tables and video monitors in this row are tucked away in the armrest, so you’ll sacrifice a bit of seat width. And if you appreciate a view from your window seat, you’ll want to steer clear of seats 44 A and K, and 57 A and K, as these rows are missing a window.

Also read: Qantas Boeing 787 International Economy (Sydney – Perth)

Lounge access when flying QF96

Melbourne-bound passengers from Los Angeles have a number of lounges to choose from when flying Qantas, depending on status, class of travel or credit card. While there are other ways to gain access to the lounges we’ve listed below, we’ve only included the ones that may be most relevant for Australians flying to Melbourne from LA.

Qantas International Business Lounge, Los Angeles

The Qantas International Business Lounge is one of two Qantas lounges at LAX – and the guest list for this lounge is far broader than its counterpart. If you meet one of the criteria below, you’ll find yourself kicking back here before your flight:

• Qantas Business Class passengers.
• Qantas Gold frequent flyers.
• oneworld Sapphire frequent flyers.
• Qantas Club members and Qantas Club Annual Guest cards.

Do note that while this is a Qantas-operated lounge, Qantas single-entry complimentary lounge passes can’t be used here.

Qantas Los Angeles International First Lounge

Qantas operates only a handful of International First Lounges around the world, so eligible flyers are in for a treat when departing LAX on QF96. Here’s who makes the cut:

• Qantas Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge.
• oneworld Emerald frequent flyers.
• Single-entry Qantas First Class lounge passes from the Qantas Premier Titanium Card.

Of course, this lounge is also available for First Class passengers on Qantas flights that offer First Class.

American Airlines Flagship Lounge, Los Angeles

How to gain entry:

• Qantas Business Class passengers.
• Qantas Gold, Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge (+1 guest).
• oneworld Sapphire and Emerald frequent flyers (+1 guest).

American Express Centurion Lounge, Los Angeles

The following Australian Charge Cards will grant you entry to the Amex Centurion Lounge in LA:

• The American Express Platinum Card (+2 guests).
• The American Express Platinum Business Card (+2 guests).
• The American Express Corporate Platinum Card (+2 guests).
• The American Express Centurion Card (+2 guests or immediate family) (issued by invitation only).

Note that you can’t use single-entry Centurion Lounge passes issued in Australia at this lounge.

Booking QF96 using points

With Qantas Points, it’s easier to fly from Los Angeles to Melbourne. Note that while QF96 will stop flying from 13 July 2024, and QF94 becomes the daily flight, there’s no difference in the amount of points required. The use of an Airbus A380 for QF94 allows for a First Class redemption, which we’ve included in the table below.

Here’s how many Qantas Points you’ll need to book a Classic Reward from Los Angeles to Melbourne.

If you’re struggling to find reward seats on this – or any – route, our Point Hacks Concierge service can help you redeem your frequent flyer points.

And if you’re looking for ways to give your Qantas Points balance a boost, check out the credit card offer below. One sign-up bonus could be all you need to fly from Los Angeles to Melbourne for less!

Also read: How to hack your way to Los Angeles with points

Alternative flights

At the time of writing, Qantas operates an additional flight on Thursdays and Saturdays from Los Angeles to Melbourne as QF94. This flight is on an A380 with the addition of a First Class cabin. From 14 July 2024, QF94 becomes the daily Qantas flight to Melbourne from LAX.

If your journey takes you elsewhere in North America or Australia, here are some other Qantas-operated routes to consider:

• Qantas flight QF4 – New York to Sydney (via Auckland)
• Qantas flight QF8 – Dallas Fort Worth to Sydney
• Qantas flight QF12 – Los Angeles to Sydney
• Qantas flight QF16 – Los Angeles to Brisbane
• Qantas flight QF18 – Los Angeles to Sydney
• Qantas flight QF22 – Dallas Fort Worth to Melbourne
• Qantas flight QF74 – San Francisco to Sydney
• Qantas flight QF76 – Vancouver to Sydney

Alternatively, American Airlines flights are bookable using Qantas Points. There’s just one flight from Los Angeles to Sydney operating as AA73, though this is scheduled daily. There’s no difference in the number of Qantas Points you’ll need to fly from LAX to Sydney with American Airlines.

In the opposite direction, look for flights QF93, Qantas’ direct daily service from Melbourne to LAX. Our guide covers what to expect on QF93. An additional seasonal flight also runs on the same route with flight number QF95.

Featured image: Urlaubstracker, Unsplash

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